Glad to hear that you are able to get out and go to dinner. Very funny that your NS wanted to look at your incision. I am very pleased with the way mine looks. I still rub vitamin e on it 1 to 2 times a day. Now I am adding sunscreen. How long was your surgery and if I am correct you had 2 levels fused. Glad my OSS didn't have the same view. Soft collar for a few weeks, and I insisted on a hard collar and only wore it for a few days and when I showered in the beginning. Sorry you have to wear it for so long.

Definitely insist on physio, I think it's important and it has helped quite a bit. Especially since he had you rather has you in a hard collar for so long. You will need strengthening and ROM exercises. My ROM has gotten better, but my strength on the left side is still much weaker than the right.

The field trip went better than expected. I wore the soft collar for the 45 minute bus ride each way and the walk up to th top of the lighthouse. Also took extra strength Tylenol as a precautionary measure. I definitely did better than I expected. Tired on the way up, no problem on the way down.

Have a great weekend and a happy holiday season.

************************************************** **
12/9/2010 ACDF C5-6 C6-7 with plate, screws,
BMP & bone fragment filled cages
2/14/2011 trying to go back to work as a teacher
2/17/2011 starting PT
wearing bone stimulator 4 hours a day
DDD, arthritis, herniated disks, pinched nerves
3 months saw a little bit of bone growth (YEAH)
4/15/2011 Home Tens Unit